The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is Scotland's premier independent marine science organisation generating new knowledge for the benefit of the marine environment and society since 1884.

Paul Dees

PhD student

I am a PhD student with a background in marine ecology. I am interested in harmful algal blooms (HABs), and their effect on humans and the environment, which I already worked on during my MSc.

For my PhD I am based at SAMS in Oban and NAFC in Shetland, giving me access to many experts and my main study area in Shetland. The arrangement also means I am living in some of the most beautiful parts of the UK with lots of opportunities to explore the countryside.

Improving the predictability of harmful algal blooms around Shetland, for Scottish aquaculture

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are often high biomass blooms, which can cause the water column to become eutrophic and undersea sediments to turn anoxic. HABs can also be of relatively low biomass, but composed of species which produce toxins. Toxins can then accumulate inside organism eaten by humans, such as mussels, scallops and oysters. When these shellfish are eaten by humans, illnesses like diarrhoea, paralysis, amnesia and death can result.

During the summer of 2013, there was an exceptionally large bloom of Dinophysis species. Although preliminary reports suggested this bloom could become harmful, shellfish in the area were still below the limit which EU regulations prohibit they be sold to consumers. A change in the prevalent wind direction on Shetland caused a large bloom of toxin forming Dinophysis spp. cells to be blown into the West coast of Shetland (Whyte et al., 2014). Some mussels were sold to prestigious restaurants in London and approximately 50 people because ill, experiencing the unpleasant symptoms of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

This episode demonstrates that while routine monitoring of phytoplankton and toxin concentrations within shellfish is important, sometimes HABs can grow very rapidly. It is in this context that my PhD topic will be of use.

I will be looking through past data collected by routine phytoplankton and toxin monitoring sites on Shetland to find occurrences of blooms, and data collected by continuous plankton recorder (CPR). I will attempt to link this to weather conditions around the time of the bloom. Offshore data from the CPR is important, as it will elucidate whether blooms in the ocean around Shetland are always seen around farms.

My practical work will focus on measuring the water column structure around Shetland. Some preliminary work suggests that the 100m isobath west of Shetland may be an important area where HABs can initiate. I will be using CTDs and taking water samples to allow analysis of nutrients and chlorophyll in the water at various depths.

Education

2016-present: PhD student. SAMS UHI

2014-2015: MSc Applied Marine and Fisheries Ecology. University of Aberdeen

2011-2014: BSc Marine Biology. Newcastle University

About us

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) has been delivering independent marine science since 1884. Based in Oban, 150 staff are working for healthy and sustainably managed seas and oceans through world-class marine research, education and engagement with society.Learn more about us…